Tell me if this sounds familiar. You break out the 1 wood, quickly try to do all the right things you’ve learned through friends, tutorials, and youtube, and you crush the ball. Only to watch it go anywhere but down the middle of the fairway. The good news is, the type of driver you should be using as a beginner might not be the driver you’re using.
By switching to a driver designed for beginners, those hooks and slices could become shots of the past.
In this driver review I’m going to share with you some features you should consider when looking for a driver, and what drivers are on the market, that could fit your needs.
Features to Consider When Choosing the Best Driver for Beginners
Club Head
The maximum allowable head size is 460 cubic centimeters. Obviously, the bigger the head, the larger the target area to make contact with the ball, and commonly, the bigger the sweet spot. Off-center contact is a big problem with beginners so using a club that allows for some forgiveness is key to keeping your ball in the fairway.
Additionally, when starting out, practice is the key to getting better. Using a club designed for beginners will help you make better shots, prompting you to keep coming back, and working on your game. As a beginner’s technique improves, you’ll be able to feel the difference between a well-struck ball and a drive with poor contact.
The shape of the head can also influence your game. The head’s shapes include square, round, pear, and extended. A round-shaped driver is usually best for a beginner.
The aerodynamics help with keeping club speed up and the shape is less likely to dig into the turf should your aim be off. The round head will have a bigger sweet spot, add forgiveness, and easier to get the ball up in the air. This brings us to the next feature, loft
Loft
The loft of the club is the angle of the face on the club. Those with a slower club speed usually look into getting a driver with a higher degree of loft, allowing for maximum height and roll.
As your skill improves, and your contact skill increases, you might switch to a lower loft. For beginners, a loft of 9-14 degrees might be optimal. While the professionals might be using 10-degree lofts or lower, avoid using the same club the pro’s use, as their skill set is significantly higher.
Shaft
Selecting the right flex for your shaft can impact your game. The higher the club speed the stiffer the shaft. As a beginner, a more flexible shaft will be to your benefit. The higher the speed, the stiffer the shaft. Steel shafts, which are heavier than graphite, are stiff and less forgiving than graphite.
So unless you naturally have a fast swing speed a graphite shaft might be your best option. Since you need to make sure the clubface is square with the ball at impact, finding the right flex is critical to consistently hitting the ball well. Regular and firm flexes — also known as stiff flexes — are the most popular among men.
What other people may find in poetry, I find in the flight of a good drive.
– Arnold Palmer
Price
Face it, the price of a driver will impact your decision making. As your game evolves and as you hone your skills, the clubs you use could change. Getting the cheapest club might help the pocket-book, but you may find it only hinders your game. Finding one that fits your swing, style, and speed should help determine what price range you should be looking at.
Now that you have a better understanding of what kinds of features you should pay attention to, here is a list of the best drivers for slow swing speed, that usually accompany beginners.
When possible I try to show a couple of different vendors so you can get the best deal!
Top 5 Drivers for Beginners
Callaway Rogue
1) Callaway Golf 2018 Rogue Driver – The Rogue Driver delivers exceptional ball speed from the combination of our new Jailbreak Technology and X-Face VFT plus an increased moment of inertia (MOI) for a breakthrough in driver performance. Largest ever carbon composite crown surface area in a Callaway driver which is optimal for contact. With a name like Callaway, you know you’re getting high quality.
TaylorMade RBZ
2) TaylorMade Men’s RBZ Black Driver – Here it is. A top of the line driver for under $200. These days, they’re hard to come by. Features a 460cc Titanium head that provides a better opportunity for contact, and more forgiveness to help keep the ball in the fairway. Customers love how light it is, and the sound it makes. Clean and crisp!
Callaway Epic Flash
3) Callaway Golf 2019 Epic Flash Driver – with a name like Callaway it’s not surprising to find them on the list again. The Epic Flash driver employs new technology called Flash Face to help golfers get more ball speed for more distance. That great feeling you get when you make a good swing and crush one off the tee! Flash Face makes the ball go faster and farther. Not a bad combo to have at your disposal on the course.
Cobra F9 Speedback (Editor’s Choice)
4) Cobra Golf 2019 F9 Men’s Speedback Driver – The Cobra F9 delivers a highly aerodynamic clubhead shape, and is the first to combine a raised skirt, rounded crown, and rounded leading edge to improve airflow for maximum speed and stability. In an industry where everyone claims to have a fast driver face, the Cobra F9 is the only one that’s CNC milled. This means the thinnest, hottest clubface. Unlike the traditional circular sweet spot, the Cobra’s is elliptical, creating even more sweetness!
PGX Offset(Budget Friendly)
5) PGX Offset Golf Driver – The PGX is probably the lesser-known brand of the top 5, but don’t let it keep you from taking a look-see. It’s also the most affordable on the list. It might not have the bells and whistles of the others, but the graphite shaft and 460 cc maximum head provide for a lightweight swing with the maximum amount of sweet spot allowed.
Conclusion
The best driver for beginners isn’t necessarily the best driver on the market. It’s going to be one that allows room for growth and keeps you coming back to practice. It’s no secret beginners are going to hit their fair share of shanks, but with these clubs designed for slower swing speed and a larger clubface, you’ll be lowering your score immediately.
To work on your swing consistency, check out the best golf swing trainer for beginners.
Promotions on TaylorMade & Callaway
If Callaway is your club of choice, click here for a chance to win some clubs.
If TaylorMade is your pick check this out.